Sunday getaway to Yosemite Valley’s ice rink

The re-opening of the ice rink � with a view of Half Dome � has provided Yosemite Valley with the feel of the Christmas-New Year’s holiday.

Photo: Tom Stienstra, Tom Stienstra / The Chronicle

What you see: Yosemite Valley may not be framed in snow yet, but the opening of a new ice rink — with a view of Half Dome — has provided Yosemite with the feel of the Christmas-New Year’s holiday. This is a low-cost way for youngsters to bust loose, with enough exhilaration for adults, topped by the spectacular views.

Location: The Yosemite ice rink, after problems getting going last winter with the new concessionaire, is located on the eastern side of Half Dome Village (formerly Curry Village).

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To make it work: For skating, purchase tickets at the Half Dome Village Tour & Activity Desk, located adjacent to the Registration Office in Half Dome Village. You get your rental skates at the rink.

On the ice: Everybody skates in a counterclockwise direction. The slower you go, the wider arc you take, to the point where first-timers will hug the wall around the rink. Most everybody gets along great, with the inevitable fast kid en route to a spectacular fall.

Warming pits: Outdoor fire pits are a nice touch.

Winter recreation:Lack of snow has closedGlacier Point Road to the Yosemite Ski and Snowboard Area at Badger Pass ski area, and to nearby trailheads for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. A check this past week shows a glazing of snow near the staging area for Badger Pass, but the runs just above on the hill were bare dirt.

Highway 140/Arch Rock: From Mariposa, Highway 140 is routed along the Merced River and through El Portal to Arch Rock entrance (2,850 feet). A one-lane detour provides a bypass around a common rockslide area. For those with snow concerns, to reach Yosemite Valley, you never climb over 4,000 feet on this route.

Highway 120/Big Oak Flat: From Groveland, Highway 120 is routed through Stanislaus National Forest to the Big Oak Flat entrance. To reach Yosemite Valley, you climb to 6,192 feet, and then descend to the valley. In winter, chains are often required on this route.

Distances to Half Dome Village: 114 miles from Manteca, 172 miles from Concord, 188 miles from San Mateo, 189 miles from San Jose, 191 miles from downtown San Francisco, 201 miles from San Rafael,

Tom Stienstra is the outdoors writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. He is America’s first Back Country Sportsman of the Year and the only two-time National Outdoor Writer of the year. In 2008, he won first place for best outdoors column in America. As a photographer with The Chronicle, he won first place in America for best outdoors feature image in 2011. That year he was also awarded as Far West Ski Writer of the Year. His books have sold more than 1 million copies. His first novel, "The Sweet Redemption, An Inspector Korg Mystery," was released for 2013. His television show on CBS/CW won first place as America’s best outdoor recreation show, and his radio show on CBS won first place in 2010 for best environmental feature show in America. Tom has hiked 25,000 miles, caught world-record fish, led dozens of expeditions and taken part in all phases of the outdoor experience. He was the fourth living member inducted into the California Outdoors Hall of Fame.